Thursday, 13 January 2011

And then it isthe night -- the street -- exposureto the past -- to history

the spoils -- the same -- onceagain, over againthe same --

just later -- he was bornblindmister

Blind beggar, Lawton, Oklahoma: photo by Lewis W. Hine, April 1917

John Dowers, 7 years old, lives at 108 W. Frisco St. Starts out at 5 a.m. some days. Father is blind and sells newspapers. John is a pretty good beggar. Was seen trying to borrow a dollar from the bank to "get father a watch" (father is blind). Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: photo by Lewis W. Hine, 4 March 1917

Play-time at the Oklahoma School for the Blind. Children have a great deal of freedom. Muskogee, Oklahoma: photo by Lewis W. Hine, March 1917

Some original play houses conceived and executed by girls at the Oklahoma School for the Blind, Muskogee, Oklahoma: photo by Lewis W. Hine, March 1917

Sigh. It will live with me for a long while. get father a watch(father is blind)

Two women and their children stand beneaththe traffic lights with eyesfailing and stretched like the will of a lake where no deer come downanymore. They ask me formoneyin the name of godwho would not give them any.

Roadside on a giant boardthere are neat chicken crumbs present each the size of manstacked jumblyon top of each other (rather deliberately) hunger is an accident butAnd in big bold letters the importanceof schezwan sauce is insinuated These are the riches of the man